NARHA is conducting a nationwide search for a Programs and
Education Manager. The position is located in the national
office in Denver. Relocation is negotiable.
Click here for the full job description. Applications will
be accepted through March 31. Please email your cover letter
and resume to the attention of
Jama Rice.

NARHA Subcommittee Seeks Additional Members

The NARHA Driving Certification Subcommittee seeks
enthusiastic new members to join the committee. Applicants
should have a strong interest in therapeutic riding and
driving and a desire to continue the development of and
improve the NARHA Driving Instructor Certification Process.
Click here to download information.

NARHA Says Goodbye

NARHA is sad to bid farewell to two national office employees.
Programs and Projects Coordinator Sandy Artichoker is
re-entering the dental field and Program Representative Kelly
Sullivan is going to graduate school for social work. We thank
them for their time at and service to NARHA and wish them well
in the future!

March 15,
2011

Rein Them In and Win a Two Night Spa Package!

We at NARHA know our current members are the best possible
source for new members who could benefit from all NARHA has to
offer.

With our special Member-Get-A-Member drive, we've made
referring colleagues to NARHA easier than ever! Forward an
application to them or direct them to
Join Now to download an application. Or direct them to the
NARHA store to join online. Ask your friend to enter your
name in the "referred by" space. Then tell another friend...
and another... and another to win prizes.

We'd like to thank you for your efforts with some nifty prizes
for all members recruited by June 30, 2011.

Grand prize for the person recruiting the most new
members is a two night spa package to include airfare for
two, two nights room stay and a hotel spa package

All travel arrangements to be made through NARHA

Airfare, hotel and spa booked with NARHA American
Express points

Airfare not to exceed $500 per person

Room nights not to exceed $400 per night

Runner up will received a $100 gift card to a popular
restaurant chain

All who bring in three or more new members receive a
member t-shirt

All who bring in seven or more new members receive a
member polo shirt

Everyone who recruits one or more new members is entered
into a drawing for a free NARHA National Conference and
Annual Meeting registration

Every time you recruit a new member, you strengthen NARHA.
A vital and growing NARHA means greater recognition of safety
and ethical practices in the equine-assisted activities and
therapies industry, improved education resources and
networking opportunities for all members, and the advancement
of professional standards worldwide.

This
week NARHA welcomes its newest staff member, Megan Ream, as
Sponsorship/Development Manager. Megan's primary
responsibilities include increasing sponsorship dollars and
growing NARHA's outreach to its individual members and donors.
With over five years experience in nonprofit fundraising, most
of which is in the outdoor recreation and conservation field,
she looks forward to transferring her knowledge of how to fund
raise for NARHA. Megan enjoys spending time with her fiancÚ,
Stu, doing just about anything outdoors, including hiking,
biking, snowshoeing, skiing and playing with her dog, Bella.

If you have
any questions on how to support changing and enriching lives
through the promotion of equine-assisted activities and
therapies, contact her anytime at
mream@narha.org or (303) 452-1212, ext. 107.

NARHA 2011 National Conference Scholarships

NARHA continues to work diligently to obtain funding sources
to ensure the maximum opportunity to underwrite scholarships
for NARHA's National Conference and Annual Meeting. As leaders
in the industry we are committed to providing our members with
opportunities for continuing education and professional
development. We are excited to offer these opportunities to
experience the NARHA National Conference to those new as well
as experienced in the field.

This year we are happy to announce a new scholarship to be
awarded annually, the Marjorie V. Kittredge Equine Facilitated
Psychotherapy and Learning (EFP/L) Scholarship to be awarded
to a person who is an EFP/L professional or studying to become
one.

The 2011 NARHA National Conference and Annual Meeting
Scholarship application and the 2011 Marjorie V. Kittredge
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy and Learning Scholarship
application are due by email, fax or posted no later than June
28, 2011.

The deadline is quickly approaching to get your application in
for the driving workshop and certification event in Longview,
Texas, at Wind Ridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center April
26-29. If you plan to attend, please send your application and
payment to the center as soon as possible. If you do not get
your applications to the center, the center will not know you
have interest in attending and the event will have to be
canceled. If you are interested in attending, send in your
application and fees now!

Enter
the Free NARHA 2011 Photo and Video Contest and get the chance to
win a free registration for the 2011 NARHA National Conference and
Annual Meeting or other prizes.

NARHA always needs good photos for NARHA publications, marketing
projects and the website.

Set your digital camera at its highest resolution and take your
best active photos of your center's riders, equines, volunteers
and instructors. Show us your center's driving, interactive
vaulting, group activities, teamwork and more!

Each year the NARHA National Conference and Annual
Meeting provides the equine-assisted activities and
therapies industry the most valuable and comprehensive
education opportunities available. A broad spectrum of
session content is needed to offer a rich and
invigorating experience for all attendees.

The 2011 NARHA National Conference is November 9-12 in
Lexington, KY. At this time NARHA is
conducting a call for papers. Come present at
the 2011 National Conference and share how you, your
organization or your research can help improve the
equine-assisted activities and therapies field.

Abstracts must be submitted to NARHA by
April 5,
2011. No submissions will be accepted
after April 5.

NARHA 2011 National Awards Nominations

Reino Taveras, NARHA 2010 Adult Equestrian
of the Year

Every year riders, instructors, volunteers and equines
invest time and energy in continuously developing in
the Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies industry.
So many people and equines spend hours in the sun and
cold weather, in dusty barns and arenas to participate
in this wonderful industry. The dedication of all
these individuals and equines is outstanding, and
NARHA would like to take this opportunity to honor
those people with our 2011 awards program.

Visit the NARHA website and
download the 2011 criteria and nomination forms
for our Volunteer, Equine, Instructor, Adult
Equestrian, Independent Adult Equestrian, Youth
Equestrian, Child Equestrian, Sis Gould, NARHA Horses
for Heroes, EFL/EFP professional or James Brady awards
to help us honor all those dedicated to this amazing
industry.

Please read all criteria for each award carefully and
be sure you submit a complete application for the
award of your choice. Some guidelines for 2011 have
changed, so please review the criteria carefully!
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Award
nominations are due by May 16, 2011.
Please have them postmarked by this date or submitted
via email by May 16, 2011. Late or incomplete
nominations will not be accepted.

At the national conference in November 2010, the
NARHA Equine Specialist Certification Sub-Committee
and the NARHA staff announced the launch of the
exciting Equine Specialist in Mental Health and
Learning Certification.

A very successful pilot event was held at Bakas
Equestrian Center in Tampa, Florida, February 18-21.
A special thank you to all who attended and to Bakas
for providing such a wonderful facility for us to
pilot our event. The Bakas staff was exceptional and
provided us with wonderful accommodations! The NARHA
office is currently receiving applications from
eager individuals ready to receive their
certification. Thank you to our members for their
patience and excitement in this new program!

The Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
certification is meant to certify an individual as
the horse handler in any un-mounted mental health or
learning session. If the session is mounted a NARHA
certified instructor will continue to supervise the
activity. Equine-Facilitated Learning and
Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy are growing fields
in NARHA, and this certification is meant to improve
the experience of all involved.

Click here for a copy of the certification
booklet and complete details on the requirements of
the certification.

If you are a current NARHA certified instructor and
have been participating or plan to participate in an
EFP or EFL program, please review the Fast Track
certification option on page 29 of the certification
booklet. This option allows any current NARHA
certified instructor to submit their portfolio to
the NARHA office and begin taking the online exams
for the Equine Specialist in Mental Health and
Learning certification. The on-site 3-day workshop
and 1-day practical skills test is not required for
those taking advantage of the Fast Track
certification. The deadline to apply for the
Fast Track option is June 30, 2011. So do
not delay if you wish to take advantage of this
option! This option is only available for current
NARHA certified instructors, other qualifications do
not apply and all other certification candidates
must attend the on-site workshop and skills test.

Call the NARHA office at (800) 369-RIDE (7433) with
questions.

Equine Welfare Tip From the Equine Welfare Committee

Need a
Drink?By Heidi J. Potter, Equine Welfare Committee Member
We know horses always need unlimited access to clean, fresh water.
On average, a horse will consume 12-20 gallons per day, depending
on weather and workload. However, are we aware of their drinking
habits?

Most horses will seek out water after grazing and/or eating grain
or hay. In many programs horses are taken out of the field or
paddock and brought directly to the cross ties or hitching rail.
At that point it may be several hours before they will be returned
to any water source. Please be mindful where he is in his daily
cycle when you go out to get a horse for work. Have you seen him
just take a drink? Did he recently finish a meal? Did you just
take him away from his pile of hay?

To help ensure his good health just stop by his water source for a
moment to see if he is interested. If you are paying attention,
the horse will generally "tell" you that he is interested in water
as you are passing by it. Some horses will speak very quietly, so
be mindful about reading them. Others will boldly pull you in that
direction. They are "shouting" to you, so be sure to listen. Then
be prepared to practice patience as some (especially those who
lack confidence in the herd or are lower down in the pecking
order) will need to look around, drop their nose, pick their head
up, look around and then settle in for a drink. Others will need
to splash for a bit before drinking. Some will take a drink, take
a breather and drink again.

Placing a large muck bucket just outside the entrance to the barn
helps volunteers and barn staff remember to stop there before
entering. This works well as horses will generally drink faster
from a large bucket. They don't have to worry about others in the
herd sneaking up to move them off. You also don't have to wait for
an automatic waterer to refill, which can seem like an eternity if
you are in a hurry.

By putting a watering procedure in place you help ensure the
overall health and happiness of your equine partner.

Horses and Humans Research Foundation 2011 Call for
Proposals

Research Funding Available To Investigate the Impact of
Equine-Assisted Activities

Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) invites proposals to
investigate the effects of horses on humans. The Foundation's
broad research agenda includes basic research as well as clinical
studies that will ultimately impact physical and mental health and
the quality of life for participants in equine-assisted
activities/therapies.

Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, taking into account
scientific merit, scientific and clinical significance and
relevance to areas designated by the Foundation. Preference will
be given to investigators with solid credentials and research
experience. The average grant award is $50,000 for up to a
one-year period.

May 19-20
Sagebrush Equine Training Center for the Handicapped in
Bothell, WA

Please visit the
NARHA calendar for a list of 2011 Registered On-Site
Workshops and Certifications.

Please direct
correspondence about this newsletter to
NARHA News coordinator. NARHA
News is a benefit of NARHA membership. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic,
scanned or electronic process without written permission from
NARHA. NARHA reserves the right to reject, accept and edit
submitted material. NARHA News is intended as an
information exchange and an opportunity for communication for
members in the field of equine assisted activities. The
opinions, practices or products presented in NARHA News do
not necessarily reflect NARHA policy, imply NARHA endorsementor
comply with NARHA standards.